Arizona governor replaces Massage Therapy Board after Republic inquiry

Arizona governor replaces Massage Therapy Board after Republic inquiry

Less than two weeks after The Arizona Republic published an in-depth investigation into sexual abuse in the massage industry, Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey declared that he removed all members of the Arizona State Board of Massage Therapy from office and has appointed new members.

Ducey announced on Friday, saying in a statement that “the State Board of Massage Therapy must protect massage clients, especially those who are in a vulnerable position. I’m confident today’s appointees will do that.”

The five-memberregulatory board is appointed by the governor and is responsible for licensing the state’s 10,600 massage therapists and investigating complaints against them.

Friday morning’s Governor’s Office representative called board members and informed them they were being replaced. The representative also thanked them all for their time.

Ducey’s announcements mean longtime Board Chair Victoria Bowmann, a licensed massage therapist for 43 years, will no longer serve. Mlee Clark (a massage therapist) and John Ortega, Nick McClain, both public members, are also leaving. They are not directly involved in the massage industry. Bowmann and Ortega were serving on expired terms, as is common with regulatory boards, while Clark and McClain still had time left on their five-year terms.

A fifth board seat has been vacant since June when board member Kevin Ramsey abruptly resigned after an Arizona Republic reporter questioned him about his ties to the Massage Envy franchise chain and why he was voting on Massage Envy therapists.

After Ducey’s announcement, the board’s Monday meeting was canceled.

Bowmann declined to comment on Friday’s announcement by Ducey that he was replacing the board.

The Republic earlier this month detailed in a five-month investigation how about 100 massage therapists have faced complaints before the state licensing board for allegedly exposing, fondling, sexually abusing, or sexually assaulting their clients over the past eight years. Around half of the 100 were not denied their licenses. Some were put on probation or had their licenses suspended. Others received only warning letters or had their complaints dismissed. At least one therapist has been accused twice and still has a license.

The board received complaints from women who claimed that the refusal to discipline therapists put customers at risk.

The Republic’s investigation also detailed how the massage industry in Arizona is loosely regulated, and how it’s difficult for clients to vet therapists.

Three of the five licensing board members have historically been licensed massage therapists, an arrangement by law that tips the scale in the industry’s favor, critics say. State law changed in August 2020 to flip that composition, requiring three public members and two massage therapists. But the Governor’s Office has been slow to fill vacancies on a change that would give the public greater input into licensing decisions.

Emily Harris, who filed a 2018 complaint against a massage therapist, said that it was good news that the board members had been replaced.

“My story is not unique, but I’m glad to see Governor Ducey taking steps to ensure the protection of clients now and in the future,” Harris said on Friday.

Harris accused the therapist of sexual assault, but he denied the allegations. The board voted unanimously to dismiss the complaint and issue him only an advisory letter, a nondisciplinary action that said he “could have exercised better professional judgment and engaged in better communications with your client.”

Christina Corieri, the senior adviser to Ducey, said the Governor’s Office made the board changes after reading The Republic’s investigation and conducting research into allegations detailed in the story. In particular, she said the Governor’s Office is concerned with the months-long delays in disciplinary hearings for massage therapists and what she called “dismissive” comments that some board members made to women who had filed complaints.

“Those were extremely concerning to us,” She said.

Clark, one of the departing board members, told The Republic she was surprised to learn on Friday that Governor was replacing her and the rest of the board.

She said the board sometimes postponed decisions on discipline because members needed additional information to make solid decisions. Some complaints against massage therapists are cut-and-dried, she said. Some are more complex.

“The governor is going to do what the governor wants to do,” She spoke of the need to replace board members. “He is in the position of making certain choices that not everyone is going to be happy with. I’m grateful I had the four years I did (on the board). I learned a lot.”

Ducey claimed Friday that three of his newly appointed board members had experience in victim advocacy support.

“The state is committed to implementing policies and best practices that will help keep Arizonans who are massage clients safe, and will continue to work with industry professionals and members of the spa community moving forward,” He said.

The five new appointees include:

  • Myriah Mhoon, a public member, is the CEO of New Life Center, a large domestic violence shelter. She is a social worker who has helped to staff the Arizona Guidelines for Developing a regional response to youth sex trafficking through the Arizona Human Trafficking Council.
  • Bailey DeRoest, a public member, is the co-director of Sojourner Center, a program for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking in Arizona. DeRoest, who has more than 17 years of experience in domestic violence, sexual abuse, and human trafficking services, is first a crisis shelter manager, then a chief operating officer.
  • Lisa Lucchesi (public member) is a national specialist in human trafficking at Aetna where she manages programs.
  • Michael Tapscott, a licensed masseuse, is the senior instructor in massage therapy at Gateway Community College. He has more than 25 years of experience as a massage therapist.
  • Angela Reiter, a licensed masseuse, owns Integrative Therapeutic Massage. Reiter graduated from the Chicago School of Massage Therapy. She has been a licensed and board-certified massage therapist since 1994.

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